Festival of the Four Winds Patch Notes

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May 20, 2014 - 5:02pm -- Lee B.

LIVING WORLD

Festival of the Four Winds

Scarlet Briar’s attack devastated Lion’s Arch, but Tyria’s best and brightest are rallying to support the stricken city. The Zephyrites and Queen Jennah will both offer their finest festival amusements to boost morale and offer support. Visit Labyrinthine Cliffs and experience the rush of Aspect movement skills, take part in the Sanctum Sprint, or enjoy one of the brand-new events; then take a hot-air balloon to Divinity’s Reach and enjoy the reopened Crown Pavilion, including a new version of the Queen’s Gauntlet, the Boss Blitz.

Join Braham, Rox, Marjory, Kasmeer, Taimi, and Scruffy as they enjoy the festivities and usher in the return of Lion’s Arch services!

Story

The Zephyrites have returned to Labyrinthine Cliffs in their large-sailed flying ships to support Lion’s Arch in its time of need. Although Lion’s Arch suffered a devastating blow as a result of Scarlet’s nefarious plans, Captain Ellen Kiel of the Captain’s Council is grateful to see the Zephyrites return with their generous offer of materials and moral support. And to help reinvigorate trade and provide some joy to its citizens, the Zephyrite Master of Peace and Queen Jennah of Kryta are hosting a festival to honor Lion’s Arch. Join Kiel and the adventuring group of Rox, Braham, Marjory, Kasmeer, and Taimi in Lion’s Arch at the Claw Island Portage Waypoint to meet the Zephyrite leader and kick off the start of the festival.

Labyrinthine Cliffs

Players can travel to Labyrinthine Cliffs to partake in all of the fun and excitement of the festival by speaking to the transport facilitator in Lion’s Arch, or by hopping in a hot-air balloon in Divinity’s Reach. Once there, players will find the exhilarating Aspect movement skills perfected by the Zephyrites, enabling them to dash, leap, and tether to all corners of the map.

The Zephyrites and the strange denizens of the bazaar have not been idle since the last time the Zephyr Sanctum was docked. Players can participate in an all-new scavenger hunt for sky crystals, with new, harder-to-access locations.

Two of the locals, Barkeep Ixcic and Trader Owens, have also put together two brand-new events designed to delight the entire bazaar!

Players can participate in the Sanctum Sprint, a competitive race of up to 12 participants, where they’ll need to use Wind, Sun, and Lightning movement skills to complete the course.

Players interested in the competitive use of the Zephyrite fighting skills can join the Aspect Arena PvP activity.

The Crown Pavilion

The Crown Pavilion in the human city of Divinity’s Reach has once again opened its gates. Join the golem Heal-o-Tron in assisting the city of Lion’s Arch. Donate enough money and he’ll kick off the all-new Boss Blitz in the trenches of the Pavilion. The champions are back and have learned a whole new set of skills. The faster players can slay the mighty champions, the greater the rewards. But beware! The champions are sharing the secrets of their training with each other. As each one is defeated, others increase their power!

The Queen’s Gauntlet

Enter the Queen’s Gauntlet to battle mighty representations of humanity’s most vicious enemies.

Face increasingly difficult challenges in single combat against a variety of unique bosses.

Take a risk with special gambit conditions to earn even more prestigious rewards.

Each entry and gambit costs 1 Queen’s Gauntlet Entrance Ticket.

Earn a new title for defeating Liadri: “The Blazing Light”.

Lion’s Arch

Some of the Captain’s Council still oversee the refugee camps at the Vigil Keep, Durmand Priory, and Stormbluff Isle, while the rest have returned to Lion’s Arch. As a result, most of the services that were previously relocated at the Vigil Keep have returned to Lion’s Arch, and the balloons of Kryta that connected the refugee camps have departed. Several access services have also relocated.

Coriolis Plaza, in the Eastern Ward, is the new home to the asura gates connecting all the major cities of Tyria.

Asura gate connections to the Mists have been reestablished at Fort Marriner.

The Consortium operations have moved to Postern Ward, including access to Fractals of the Mists and Southsun Cove.

A new rope bridge helps connect the Eastern Ward to Postern Ward and its recently added portal to Lornar’s Pass.

Merchants have also returned to Lion’s Arch, creating new locations from which to sell their goods.

Players can find that the bank and trading post have reestablished their services at the Canal Ward, flanking the exit to Gendarran Fields.

These commerce services have set up additional outlets for banking and trading at Fort Marriner as well as at the Eastern and Western Wards.

Crafting disciplines, along with the Mystic Forge, have been relocated to the Western Ward.

Fort Marriner and Postern Ward also have crafting services.

Guild services can be found at the Trader’s Forum.

The activities director can be found at the Grand Piazza.

Returning citizens and visitors are advised to take care among the wreckage of the Breachmaker, whose debris is embedded throughout the city and beneath the waters of Sanctum Harbor.

Rewards

Participating in festival content will earn players festival tokens, which can be spent at the festival reward vendor in the Labyrinthine Cliffs for a wide array of returning rewards from the first season of Living World content.

Examples include the Hot Air Balloon Souvenir from Queen’s Jubilee, the Gift of Candy Corn from Blood and Madness, and the Fervid Censer from the Secret of Southsun.

All activities and events in Labyrinthine Cliffs and the Crown Pavilion have a rare chance of dropping a Favor of the Bazaar or Favor of the Pavilion, respectively. Combining one of each will yield a Favor of the Festival, which can be used to purchase two new rewards—a Mini Panda or an Endless Dolyak Calf Tonic—from the reward vendor. Alternately, a Favor of the Festival can be used to purchase one of the returning Sovereign weapon skins from a vendor in the Crown Pavilion.

The Zephyr Sanctum Supply Box traders have returned, once again giving players the opportunity to obtain quartz and recipes for Celestial armor in Labyrinthine Cliffs. The boxes now also have a chance to contain a set of rare returning rewards from season one, such as an Air-Filtration Device from the Nightmares Within or a Wind Catcher Skin from the original Bazaar of the Four Winds.

Standing with the supply box traders near the docks in the Labyrinthine Cliffs is an asuran merchant who accepts spare piles of Blade Shards in exchange for Equipment Bags, each containing a piece of masterwork or better gear.

Participating in festival content will also earn players Queen’s Gauntlet Entrance Tickets, which can also be purchased in the Crown Pavilion. Winning fights in the Queen’s Gauntlet will award players with Gauntlet Chances, which have a rare chance to drop a further set of rare returning rewards, such as a monocle from the Sky Pirates of Tyria. Furthermore, Gauntlet Chances have a very rare chance to drop a recipe for crafting the new Chaos of Lyssa ascended back piece.

Achievements

Completing the Festival of the Four Winds meta-achievement will yield a bounty of festival tokens, as well as a single guaranteed Favor of the Festival for players to spend as they please.

Players who didn’t complete the Queen’s Gauntlet achievements from the original Queen’s Jubilee release have another chance to do so.

Those champions who can best the epic final fight of the gauntlet will also be rewarded with a new title: “The Blazing Light.”

The Festival of the Four Winds achievement Aspect Arena Regular is returning with previous progress saved and five new achievement points added.

Added two more achievements to the daily achievement category.

BALANCE, BUG-FIXING, POLISH

General

The in-game clock’s server time feature is now displayed in UTC time and is now much more accurate to the server’s actual time. Daily resets will now occur at midnight as it appears when the clock is set to server time.

Guild “Last Online” times will no longer display as over 100 years ago if the system clock is behind the server.

Flame Legion Blademaster:

Shield Bash: Fixed an animation bug that caused NPCs using this skill to slide about awkwardly.

Blast Finisher:

Area Healing: Increased the culling priority on this combo’s effect. Reduced the size of the wave effect by 25%.

Fixed a bug that was causing the Delete button in the Mail UI to show up as “Delet.”

Fixed a bug that was causing party members’ blue location dots to persist after they log out.

Precision Adept Trait 5: This trait has been moved from Bloodtide Coast map completion to the defeat of Sharky the Destroyer in Arca Lake of the Harathi Hinterlands.

Precision Adept Trait 6: This trait has been moved from Fireheart Rise map completion to the defeat of Captain Jayne in the Brigantine Isles of Gendarran Fields.

Toughness Adept Trait 6: This trait has been moved from Iron Marches map completion to the defeat of the giant blood ooze in the Challdar Gorges of Bloodtide Coast.

Vitality Adept Trait 5: This trait has been moved from Timberline Falls map completion to the defeat of Gargantula, the spider broodmother in the Wynchona Woods of Harathi Hinterlands.

Vitality Adept Trait 6: This trait has been moved from Mount Maelstrom map completion to the defeat of the krait witch of Nonmoa Lake in Timberline Falls.

Profession Adept Trait 5: This trait has been moved from Sparkfly Fen map completion to the defeat of the Champion Ice Wurm at Venison Pass in Lornar’s Pass.

Profession Adept Trait 6: This trait has been moved from Frostgorge Sound map completion to the defeat of Lord Ignius the Eternal of Lornar’s Pass.

Profession Adept Trait 13: This trait is now awarded upon preventing the statue of Lyssa from being retaken by the Risen, as well as defeating the corrupted high priestess of Lyssa.

Skill description damage indicators are now much more accurate for damage influenced by all types of owned minions.

Gadgets can no longer be the target of stealth.

Stability: Updated the description to include “pull” in the list of things that are ignored.

The Great Jungle Wurm in Caledon Forest no longer does full damage to itself from reflected projectile attacks. A certain number of the projectiles are no longer reflectable.

Fixed an issue that prevented new enemies from spawning at the Renown Heart to “Kill the ghostly spiders and shadow fiends attacking loggers” in Iron Marches.

Fixed several issues in the event chain regarding the necromancer, Bria, in Iron Marches.

Guild Content

Guild Challenge Success and Reward Sharing

Guild Challenge success and rewards functionality has been brought in-line with other mission types.

Mission rewards are no longer limited to the triggering guild. All participants with the mission active will receive commendation rewards upon success.

Upon success, participants from non-triggering guilds with the mission active will be prompted with the option of accepting mission success. This prompt is currently limited to guild members with “Mission Control” permissions.

Fixed an exploit that allowed players to log into the treasure room of Angvar’s Trove.

Events

Champion Event Conversion on Starter Maps

Many champion events in the starter maps have been converted into veterans. This change is being made to ensure new players focus on learning the core game experience. The following events are affected:

Dungeons

Fractals of the Mists

Underground Facility Fractal

Based on the recent Collaborative Development Initiative (CDI), we’ve revisited the dredge factory fractal with intent to improve the overall experience. Too many dredge at high scales caused the play experience of this fractal to suffer both in terms of length and difficulty. With these two things in mind, we’ve redesigned a few core encounters in the instance to ease the burden of these symptoms.

Pressure Plates

Removed scaling spawns. A set number of dredge will now spawn at each key location in this puzzle regardless of scale.

Bomb Path

Removed scaling spawns.

Introduced a stealth mechanic: All players, regardless of profession, will now be able to acquire stealth to complete this puzzle. Beware the dredge security countermeasures!

Turret Path

Removed scaling spawns.

Turrets will now fire in set patterns to discourage pesky players from progressing further into the facility.

Rabsovich Encounter

Removed additional spawns as a requirement for completion of the event.

Reduced Rabsovich’s health by 15%.

Rabsovich now appropriately telegraphs his shock wave attack.

Dungeon General

Adjusted the drop rates for ascended weapon and armor boxes in higher-level fractals; drop rates now scale better with each fractal level.

Fixed a bug that allowed players to damage the Thaumanova Anomaly from below its platform.

Fixed a bug that allowed players to engage Bloomhunger from a spot that the boss could not see.

Fixed a bug that allowed players to attack Rabsovich without taking damage.

Fixed a bug in which some krait would block player progress by pathing outside the map and becoming unreachable.

Fixed a bug in which players could avoid combat by standing on certain terrain in the Ascalon fractal.

Items

The ascended back piece Light of Dwayna can now be infused in the Mystic Forge.

The ascended back piece Shadow of Grenth can now be infused in the Mystic Forge.

Lunaria, Circle of the Moon (Infused): Increased the stats by 2 to match the stats of the non-infused version.

Solaria, Circle of the Sun (Infused): Increased the stats by 2 to match the stats of the non-infused version.

Sigil of Fire: Increased the culling priority on this sigil’s effect. Reduced the size of the flame effect by 20%. Fixed a bug that caused the size of the flame to rapidly scale up with monster size.

Sigil of Water: Fixed a bug in which the superior and major versions of this sigil had a longer cooldown than intended. Fixed a bug that caused this sigil’s effect to be centered around the player with an incorrect radius, rather than around the target.

Rune of Balthazar: Fixed a bug on the 6-piece bonus that caused the burning effect to go through blocks and evades.

Major Rune of Scavenging: Fixed a bug that caused the 3-piece bonus for this rune to grant 50 condition damage instead of 30.

Major Rune of the Afflicted: Fixed a bug that caused the 3-piece bonus for this rune to grant 50 condition damage instead of 30.

Major Rune of the Privateer: Fixed a bug that caused the 3-piece bonus for this rune to grant 39 power instead of 30.

Major Rune of the Mad King: Fixed a bug that caused the 3-piece bonus for this rune to grant 35 power instead of 30.

Accessories no longer show stat suffixes.

Sigils: Duration-increase sigils now have their full benefit when starting a PvP match, rather than needing to weapon swap to receive the bonus.

Exotic dungeon-reward weapons and armor are now account bound on acquire and soulbound on use. This does not affect any weapons and armor players currently have, only newly created items.

The legendary greatsword Eternity:

Added a new projectile replacement effect.

Added new weapon-drawing effects.

Enhanced the footfall effects.

Enhanced the drawn-state effects to further distinguish it from the legendary greatswords Sunrise and Twilight.

Profession Skills

Human

Avatar of Melandru—Oakheart Swipe: Added a skill fact for number of targets.

Elementalist

Added a skill fact for number of targets for skills that strike more than one enemy. (Underwater skills not included in this update.)

Phoenix: Fixed a bug that caused this skill to occasionally hit a target multiple times when a large group of enemies were stacked together.

Evasive Arcana: Fixed a bug that prevented this trait from working under water.

Vigorous Scepter: Added a combat only skill fact.

Evasive Arcana: Added a combat only skill fact.

Arcane Abatement:

Healing Wave: Renamed the water skill for this trait to Cleansing Wave for consistency.

Cleansing Wave: Fixed a bug that prevented this skill’s visual effect from playing.

Rock Barrier: Updated the skill description and buff description to clarify that this skill no longer uses rock charges.

Rock Barrier—Hurl: This skill no longer triggers full recharge for Rock Barrier when the last rock is fired. Instead, the skill begins its recharge when the skill begins.

Glyph of Renewal: Fixed an issue that caused this skill to be ground targeted while under water. This skill now revives allies in an area around the player when cast under water. (Exact effect depends on current elemental attunement.)

Conjure Earth Shield: Fixed an issue in which the conjured shield wouldn’t appear at the targeted location, but at a random offset instead.

Tempest Defense: Updated the description of this trait to indicate “pull” in the list of triggers.

Fire Shield: Fixed a bug that caused this skill to apply the fire aura in a smaller radius than expected when traited with Powerful Aura.

Soothing Mist: Changed the description to clarify that it also affects allies.

Powerful Aura: Updated the description of this trait to clarify that the shared auras only apply when the source is a weapon skill.

Added a skill fact for number of targets to all elementalist skills that affect multiple targets but were missing them.

Magma Orb: Added an explosion damage skill fact.

Tidal Wave: Removed an erroneous wave damage skill fact.

Sunspot: Fixed a bug that caused the damage skill fact for this trait to be inaccurate.

Electric Discharge: Fixed a bug that caused the damage skill fact for this trait to be inaccurate.

Box of Nails: The visual effect of this skill now only lasts for 4 seconds to match the actual damage effects of the skill.

Shrapnel Grenade: Increased the culling priority on the explosion effect. Reduced the size of the explosion effect by 20%.

Flash Grenade: Increased the culling priority on the explosion effect.

Freeze Grenade: Increased the culling priority on the explosion effect.

Scatter Mines: Fixed a bug that prevented this skill from benefitting from the Shrapnel trait. Fixed a bug that prevented this skill from benefitting from the Steel-Packed Powder trait and the Forceful Explosives trait.

Static Discharge: Fixed a bug that caused the damage skill fact for this trait to be inaccurate.

Guardian

Added a skill fact for number of targets for skills that strike more than one enemy.

Tome of Wrath—Smiter’s Boon: Rescaled the size of the targeting icon to match the area the skill affects. Fixed a bug that caused the skill to grant boons to a wider angle than intended.

Tome of Courage—Protective Spirit: Rescaled the size of the targeting icon to match the area the skill affects. Fixed a bug that caused the skill to grant boons to a wider angle than intended.

Battle Presence: Fixed a bug that caused this trait to only work on allied guardians 50% of the time.

Signet of Mercy: Fixed an issue that caused this skill to be ground targeted while under water. This skill can now revive an ally in an area around the player (radius of 240) while under water.

Retaliatory Subconscious: Updated the description of this trait to indicate “pull” in the list of triggers.

Signet of Resolve: Updated the description and skill facts to be more clear. Skill facts will now update when Perfect Inscriptions traited.

Healing Breeze: Added a skill fact to display the amount that it heals per pulse to allies.

Added a number of targets skill fact to all AoE guardian skills that were missing them.

Mighty Blow: Increased the culling priority on the impact effect. Reduced the size of the impact effect by 10%.

Zealot’s Defense: Updated the description of this skill to clarify that it doesn’t block projectiles, but rather destroys them.

Mesmer

Added a skill fact for number of targets for skills that strike more than one enemy.

Time Warp: Added a skill fact for number of targets: 5. Added a skill fact for pulses: 11.

Mass Invisibility: Added a skill fact for number of targets: 10.

Mantra of Recovery: Added a description to the Power Return buff granted by this skill.

Deep Strike: Fixed a bug that caused this trait to grant players the bonus from Signet of Might when they had Healing Signet equipped.

Flurry: Updated the skill fact on the level 3 adrenaline skill to display the proper number of hits.

Last Stand: Updated the description of this trait to indicate “pull” in the list of triggers.

Mariner’s Frenzy: Updated the skill fact to better indicate the actual damage dealt at the end of the skill.

Tremor: Added a number of targets skill fact.

Heightened Focus: The bonus critical chance provided from this trait will now correctly display on the Hero panel.

World vs. World

Fixed a bug in which Ballista Mastery V wasn’t working while operating a superior ballista.

Updated the text for WvW-related daily achievements.

BLACK LION TRADING COMPANY GEM STORE

New Items and Promotions

New Phoenix weapon skins are available at the Black Lion Weapons Specialist for the introductory price of 1 Black Lion Weapon Ticket for the next four weeks. Black Lion Weapon Tickets can be found in Black Lion Chests.

Three new faces have been added for every race and gender and are available exclusively in Total Makeover Kits that can be purchased for 350 gems from the Services category of the Gem Store.

The Bazaar Quaggan Mini Pack has returned for a limited time. Poowulpi the Persnicketous, Peggellegg the “Pirate”, and Kookoochoo the Incredulous can be purchased for the total price of 500 gems in the Toys category.

This week only, a cute Mini Piglet is available in the Toys category for 400 gems.

Improvements

Kill streak boosts have been redesigned (and had their icon changed). The boost now lasts for one hour and adds kill streak bonuses separately. Kill streaks last 60 seconds from the most recent kill and stacks 10% bonus experience (up to a maximum of 100% bonus experience). Kill streaks can be restarted as often as necessary within the hour.

Transmutation Crystals in the player’s inventory can now be double-clicked in groups of 25 and 5 to speed up placing them in the wallet.

Spider Tonics—Costume Brawl: The Web skill description has been corrected to indicate cripple instead of knockdown. The target ring has been reduced in size as the skill does not have an AoE component.

Trait NPCs in the Havoc’s Heir airship and the Royal Terrace will now sell trait books.

Bug Fixes

5/20

Fixed a bug that allowed PvP runes and sigils to function during activities.

5/21

Festival Tokens, Queen’s Gauntlet Entrance Tickets, and Favors of the Pavilion earned from completing the Boss Blitz event in the Crown Pavilion are now displayed on the event’s reward splash.